We’re on the cusp of Memorial Day weekend, and I’ll be sending out another newsletter just after that celebrating the birthday of one of the titans of the recorded music era, so a shorter one today. First, an announcement:
When: May 27 (Wednesday), 1-2 p.m.
Where: Brooklyn Rail New Social Environment (remote attendance, just register using the button on the page at the link)
The New Social Environment is an excellent virtual moderated arts discussion group that the Brooklyn Rail launched in 2020, during the pandemic, and has continued since. Adam Shatz will be talking with me about Minimalist Music, I’ve got some interesting scores to share, and there will be some time for Q&A at the end. This is free and open to all, via Zoom, as long as you register at the link on this page. Hope to see you!
And/or, at your leisure you can hear me talk about Minimalist Music on the Skylit podcast from Skylight Books in Los Angeles, here’s the direct link, and it’s also on Apple Podcasts and at the Bad Place (which shall neither be linked nor named). I’ve also recorded another one that’s not yet up, and will be doing a third .. and hopefully more! Now, to quote the late, great Marty DiBergi, “enough of my yackin’, let’s boogie!”
On the edge of summer, this has already been another strong year for recorded jazz: Alan Braufman’s new album with Patricia Brennan is terrific; there’s a new Julian Lage album and one from Pat Metheny and also one from Bill Frisell; there’s not only a Jason Moran solo album but one from the trio of him, BlankFor.ms, and Marcus Gilmore; two from James Brandon Lewis; and upcoming releases from Tyshawn Sorey, Miles Okazaki, Kalia Vandever, and the kick-ass first “official” release from the New Jazz Underground.
This is not any kind of rankings list but it is a best-of in terms of the 2026 releases I’ve heard so far. There’s an obvious and big caveat in that we’re just getting to halfway through the year, and I’ve got a pile of things still to get to, but I have gone through several dozen 2026 releases already, and these are the ones that have compelled me to return for multiple listening sessions. In no particular order:
Alan Braufman, Anthem for Peace (The Control Group/Valley of Search)
Mark Turner, Patternmaster (ECM)
Jeff Parker ETA IVtet, Happy Today (International Anthem)
Tomeka Reid, dance! skip! hop! (Out of Your Head)
Gregory Hutchinson, Kind of Now: The Pulse of Miles Davis (Warner)
Jason Moran - BlankFor.ms - Marcus Gilmore, Shards (Red Hook Records)
Miho Hazama, Frames (Edition Records)
James Brandon Lewis & Lutosławski Quartet, These Are Soulful Days (TAO Forms)
Matt Gold & Dustin Laurenzi, Devotional Fade (We Jazz)
Marquis Hill, (Beautifulism) Sweet Surrender
Black Nile, Indigo Garden (Han House Studios)
Kevin Sun, lofi at lowlands 四 (endectomorph music)
With all the above caveats and superb music, there is still one album I’ve heard so far this year that is in a separate category, one with fantastic imagination and personality, along with stellar musicianship. It surprised me, and will likely surprise you:
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